______________________________________ Much Appreciation to our Sponsors! Images from the Bob Simms collection, courtesy of Special Collections, University of Miami Libraries, Coral Gables, Florida. For more info about the Coconut Grove Hall of Fame contact us at [email protected]. Congratulations to the 2015 Coconut Grove Sports Hall of Fame Inductees! Sinclair King - Football Nathaniel “Traz” Powell - Coach Ernest Hart - 4 Star Athlete Jimmy Douglas -T&F Albert Sands - 4 Star Athlete Rudy Cambridge - Football Gerald Tinker - Football & T&F/Olympian Willie Jackson - Football & T&F Randy Witherspoon - Baseball Larry Black - T&F/Olympian Jimmie Lee Smart - Football & Baseball Charlie Coney - Basketball Clarence Patterson - 4 Star Athlete James Carter - Football Willis McGahee - Football & T&F Thomas Wise - Football Delta Green - Basketball Billy Joe Frederick - Football James Russell Bell - 4 Star Athlete Neal Colzie - Football Joe Taylor - Football James Hannah - Football Leonard Jackson - Football & T&F Albert Hannah - 4 Star Athlete Marvin Woodard - Football Johnnie Millings - Football Craig Curry - Football Theodore Taylor - 4 Star Athlete Isaac Fullard - Football & Basketball James Colzie - Coach Frank Potier - Football & Basketball Fred Jones - Coach & Football Coconut Grove Sports Hall of Fame Committee Anthony Witherspoon Sr. - Executive Director Craig Curry- Selection Committee Chair Charlie Coney- Selection Committee Ike Fuller- Director of Marketing & Membership FUTURE HALL OF FAME RECOMMENDATION BALLOT If you know of a Nominee who attended G.W. Carver, Arthur & Polly Mays High or Coral Gables Sr. High from 1950’s to the present and is worthy of induction into the Coconut Grove Sports of Fame, please complete the nomination ballot below and list the student athletic achievements and send to aw@[email protected]. Please print or Type. Student Athletes Name: ____________________________________________________________ Address_____________________________________________________ City _________________________ State____________ Zip Code______ Phone ____________________________ Cell ______________________ Email Address_____________________________________________________ List Nominee Achievements and School attended: __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Thank You for your Support! Your generous support of the Coconut Grove Sports Hall of Fame benefits Leadership Prep Foundation Inc. Coconut Grove Youth Leadership Development Program Services. Leadership Prep Foundation Inc. is a 501©3 organization. All contributions are tax deductible. You can also pay for tickets online or make donation online at: www.leadershipprepfoundation.org /click on to Grove Hall of Fame Event. Please indicate your level of support: Ticket(s) to Annual HoF Breakfast-$50 (# of tickets___ x $50=____) _________ Annual Souvenir Program-$20(# of Programs____x $20=____) _________Annual Membership Dues-$100.00 _________Support Level -$1000.00 _________Silver Level -$2500.00 _________Gold Level -$5,000.00 _________Leader Level- $7,500.00 (2 Tickets to all LPF Annual Sponsored Events) Coconut Grove Semi-Annual Sports Hall of Fame Magazine (Published in January & July). ________$1295 Full Color Page Ad ________$650 Half Color Page AD ________$400 Quarter Color Page AD ________$150 Patron (25 words or less) RETURN FORM AND PAYMENT TO: Mr. Craig Curry/Coconut Grove Sports Hall of Fame 12714 N.W. 13th Street/ Sunrise, Fla. 33323 Make Checks Payable to: Leadership Prep Foundation Inc. C/o Coconut Grove Sports Hall of Fame (1969 /14 yrs. Old Boys Club Days Photo) Dear Guest and Friends: Growing up in Coconut Grove, during my teen year’s the Southwest Boys Club on US-1 was the safe place to hang out and enjoy the best organized youth sports programs in the city. Now the doors of the ‘Club’, which we affectionately called it back then, is pretty much close to any teen 14 years and older. Likewise, Grand Avenue Park-now called Armbrister Park- was another ‘hot spot’ for a quick pick up game to showcase your sporting skills is also pretty much off limits today for a Grove teenager looking to sprout his or her athletic talents. Today as we pay tribute to the achievements of our Hall of Fame Honorees, I can’t help but wonder where would they are be if the ‘club’ and Carver Park was off limits during their time. I am grateful to be part of an organization honoring such outstanding student athletes and coaches where the majority all grew up in ‘the Grove’. As we pay homage in remembering the best of the best of the past, let us not forget the youth of the future living in the Grove that are shut out from facilities, programs and coaching mentors unlike the ones who pave the way 40 years ago for our inductees athletic development. So, sit back and enjoy the ‘The Greatest Story Never Told’. But after today, I invite you to join me in preparing to serve as a mentor, or a coach, or maybe just a donor to help guide Grove teens in becoming the kind of persons James Colzie, Fred Jones and Traz Powell made me and my peers. Lend a hand to the development of future Hall of Famers that are presently living right here in the Grove. Thank you for attending, and I hope you enjoy today’s program. Anthony Witherspoon Sr. Executive Director/Coconut Grove Sports Hall of Fame Dear Guest and Friends: Welcome to the inaugural Coconut Grove Sports Hall of Fame that honors Dr. George Washington Carver, coaches and student-athletes for their exemplary performance in athletic competition. The talent that emerged from Grand Ave Park, with its coaches and summer programs was fertile ground for hundreds of players to obtain athletic scholarships all over the country. The impetus behind honoring our community icons is to give credit to individuals that although successful, had not been properly honored because of the way the school was closed in 1966 because of desegregation. But most of all to implement academic, athletic, and leadership programs once again on Grand Avenue Park. Wherever I’ve been, my Grove roots and foundation has allowed me unparrelled success. Skills I have acquired from my travels I eagerly wish to transfer to the current and next generation. But we need your support financially and these fund raisers such as Hall of Fame, and donations will allow the needed programs. Sincerely, Craig Curry Coconut Grove Sports Hall of Fame Special Selection Chair Coconut Grove Sports Hall of Fame Mission: To Recognize and Honor Outstanding Student Athletes and Coaches Who Exemplified Extraordinary Sports Accomplishments While Attending G.W. Carver High, Arthur & Polly Mays High and Coral Gables Sr. High Schools. From 1950-Present! Community Voices Special to The Miami Herald Black in Time: Goombay rebrand to Miami Bahamas Junkanoo Festival focuses on youth! Rebranding is a strategy that brings new meaning to an established product or event. For nearly 40 years the Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival celebrated Coconut Grove’s black pioneer Bahamian settlement and legacy to a general audience. The one-day festival began in conjunction with the United States’ 1976 Bicentennial celebration. A Third Century Miami- Dade County project it eventually drew thousands of national and international tourists. In 2015, it was renamed the Miami Bahamas Junkanoo Festival and repurposed to follow a weeklong series of events designed to focus on Craig Curry, former Coral Gables youth and empower them through education, employment, entrepreneurial High All-American and Miami Dolphins Draftee and 2015 opportunities, and leadership. The series will showcase current and former Inaugural Coconut Grove Sports Coconut Grove residents whose role models prepared them to work hard Hall of Fame Inductee. and attain success in education, politics, business, science and sports. The term Junkanoo compliments the West African term Sankofa. The intent is to expose youth to the importance of learning from the past, connecting to one’s roots, and moving forward to achieve their full potential. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 25, in the West Grove, residents, visitors and tourists of all ages are invited to enjoy the traditional one day event with the colorful Junkanoo parade with brightly costumed people dancing to the rhythmic sounds of cowbells, drums, and whistles. In booths from Douglas Road and Grand Avenue to U.S. 1, vendors will prepare and serve authentic Bahamian and Southern cuisine. In planning this year’s festival a week of fun and educational experiences and opportunities for youth was proposed culminating with the Junkanoo Festival. New energy and new ideas repurposed the festival connecting Coconut Grove youth with Bahamian youth to explore the literary, visual and performing arts, careers and entrepreneurship, sports, creativity, and leadership. The showstopper for the rebranded festival and week of youth activities will be the sports figures who grew up in Coconut Grove’s west side. Growing up in Coconut Grove, Anthony Witherspoon Sr., Craig Curry, and Isaac “Ike” Fullard, II were impressed with the way upper class student athletes and experienced coaches carried themselves on and off the field. Curry said, “When we were in high school ‘the big boys’ and our coaches lead by example. They were our mentors.” During the eve of racial integration black students living in the southern end of Miami-Dade County graduated from George Washington